Medieval Veil Wearing 101 Mistress Elen verch Phelip, OL ([email protected])
Introduction Veils are a fantastic way to round out a medieval outfit, and also to hide a modern or short haircut. In this demo class, we will explore ways to wear an oval veil as part of a general medieval aesthetic. We’ll be discussing underpinnings and accessories, veil and wimple sizes, a few styles in which to wear the veil.
Veil Underpinnings One of the ways to keep a veil in place all day is to have the proper underpinnings. Material doesn’t like to just sit on top of one’s head without something to hold it there.
Fabric Strip: Kerchief: St Birgitta Cap: A length of bias-cut fabric A triangular piece of fabric A coif that can be secured around the head tied around the head and documented to sometime like a headband, either with under the hair. Better than between the 13th and 16th ties or elastic under the hair. the linen strip for securing centuries. Also good for Plain knit-fabric headbands wimples. It should be securing wimples. can work well, too. comfortably big enough to either tie or pin at the base of the neck.
Oval Veil I prefer to use an oval veil, as I believe it is the most versatile. To decide how big your veil should be, measure from shoulder to shoulder, over your head, and from your forehead over the top of your head to where you’d like your veil to fall on your back. The veil we’re using for the demo in this class is 28” x 32”.
Drape the veil over your head (the longer dimension should be running front to back), making sure it’s even on both sides and comes down about to your nose. Then pull the top of the veil back until there’s a pleat about an inch and a half deep on the top of the veil. Pin the top of the veil, and one on each side at the temples, making sure the veil drapes nicely around the face.
One of the things that can be intimidating for people who want to wear veils is how to edge them. Mistress Eithni’s Magic Veil Stitch is a great way to hem a veil. I’ll be demonstrating the technique in a linked video, and a link to her handout can be found in the Sources section.
This type of veil can be seen in manuscripts and effigies dating from the 13th-15th centuries. It can be plain, or embellished with embroidery, gold trim, or beads around the edge.
Detail from the du Berry Detail from the Manesse Memling, The Last Judgment Heures, June (late 14th early Codex, 14th century. Note c. 1469. Note the beaded 15th c) the embellished edging. edging.
Wimple A wimple is a length of fabric, either rectangular or a half oval shape, that is draped around the neck to hide it, and whatever indecently exposed décolletage a dress might reveal. The ideal length for a wimple is at least long enough to wind around the head from crown to chin and up again to crown, with a little overlap to pin, and should be wide enough to cover from chin to breastbone. The wimple we're working with in this class is 16” x 32”.
There are a couple ways to wear a wimple. One is to wrap the wimple around your neck, crossing the ends in the back and tying or pinning them underneath in the front. This method can slip around a bit, though; if you find you’re having problems with that, you can pin the edges of the wimple to your dress.
Another is to wrap the wimple under your chin and secure up at the top of the head. I prefer the kerchief or St Birgitta cap as an underpinning for this style, as the linen strip doesn't sit far enough back on the head to serve as an anchor for the wimple. The wimple can be adjusted to sit completely underneath the chin, or forward to cover the point of the chin. It may take some experimenting to find a position that you're happy with.
Wimples can be seen in manuscripts and effigies from the 12th to 15th centuries.
Matilda of Scotland, 13th C. Maciejowski Bible, 13th c. Robert Campin, Portrait of a Woman (1430)
Half Oval This veil shape is created by folding the veil in half (more or less) widthwise. The length can be adjusted if it's too short folded just in half. It is worn draped with the straight side toward the face, and pinned at the top and temples. You may have to take a slight tuck at the sides to avoid a gable shape at the forehead.
This style is can be seen in manuscripts from the 13th century and is similar to the frilled veils seen on funerary brasses and effigies from the 14th century and plain straight-front veils from Flemish paintings in the 15th century (see above example).
Maciejowski Bible, 13th c. Saint Ursula with two Angels Maria, Älgå, 2nd half of the and Donor, c. 1455/1460 14th century (note the (Note the black veil; veils frilled front edge) don’t always have to be white)
Half Oval, Pinned This style takes the half-oval veil and pins it under the back of the head, like a kerchief. It's really good for performing manual labor, or for windy days where more loosely draped veils either get in the way or are blown around.
This style is similar to earlier styles of tied headwear found at Birka and Hedeby, and also bears a similarity to later Dutch kerchief styles. This is probably the least documentable style, but it one of the most practical.
English Psalter, 13th c. This “The Ill-Matched Lovers” Proposed Viking headwear veil may be draped or late 15th c. based on finds from Birka pinned underneath, the and Dublin (Photo courtesy piece isn’t detailed enough of Ciar’s Stitch in Time) to tell.
Sources and Bibliography
Tres Riches Heures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%C3%A8s_Riches_Heures_du_Duc_de_Berry Codex Manesse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Manesse The Last Judgement: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Judgment_(Memling) Matilda of Scotland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_consorts Maciejowski Bible: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Bible Portrait of a Woman: http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/robert-campin-a-woman St Ursula with two Angels: http://m-silkwork.blogspot.com/2012_03_01_archive.html Maria Alga: http://m-silkwork.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-project-swedish-frilled-veil.html English Psalter: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Embroidered_bookbinding_13th_century_Annunciation.jpg Ill-Matched Lovers: http://dutchrenaissanceclothing.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/hovetcleet-research-paper/ Ciar’s Stitch In Time: http://ciarsstitchintime.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/viking-age-head-coverings/
Eithni’s Magic Veil Stitch: http://eithni.com/ReferenceDesk/EMVS.doc Video of the Magic Veil Stitch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zuFhuhYXUk